


Castiel Novak is No Good

by Sauric



Series: No Good [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Castiel and Dean Winchester are Young, Chuck Shurley is Castiel's Uncle, Dean and Sam are adopted, Doctor Chuck Shurley, Ellen Harvelle and Bobby Singer are Dean Winchester's Parents, F/M, Jo and Ash are siblings, M/M, Married Ellen Harvelle/Bobby Singer, Misunderstandings, Sick Dean Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-30
Updated: 2016-07-30
Packaged: 2018-07-27 13:35:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7620076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sauric/pseuds/Sauric
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Part II of the No Good 'verse.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Castiel Novak is No Good

**Author's Note:**

> Part II of the No Good 'verse.

Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak had been dating for months now, and they were almost always found together, not to the surprise of anyone who really knew the pair. At school, they ate lunch together, walked to classes together, and kissed in the halls and under the bleachers. After school, as the season slipped into Spring, Castiel was always at Dean's baseball practices and games, and Dean was always at Castiel's chess tournaments, without fail or complaint from either boy though Castiel wasn't particularly fond of baseball and Dean didn't understand chess. Evenings found Castiel at the Harvelle residence more often than not, playing video games with Charlie, Ash, Jo, Sam, and Dean, or watching movies or tv shows, or once they played Dungeons and Dragons (who knew Dean was such a fan?). Weekends were spent at the movies or "dates" at The Roadhouse, a bar and grill run by Ellen, Dean and Sam's adoptive mother.

Despite earlier prejudice and misunderstandings between them from third party sources (namely Castiel's uncle, Chuck Shurley), it had been a good few months--very good.

There was just one problem.

_Castiel Novak is a coward._

"So, Cas, when do I get to meet your uncle?" Dean asked one day at lunch, about two months into their relationship.

Castiel panicked, struggling to school his expression so his tenseness didn't bleed through. "He's on a business trip this weekend."

Dean nodded and took him at his word. "You should come spend the weekend with us, then. That way you won't be alone." Dean winced. "I mean, um, you could....the couch folds out. You don't have to sleep in my room or anything, I swear."

Relieved for the out, Castiel nodded, too. "Thank you, Dean. I appreciate it."

_Castiel Novak is weak._

When Castiel told his uncle he'd be spending the weekend away from the house, it was "with friends". Uncle Chuck only nodded, knowing Castiel's friends and accepting that he would be safe with the Harvelles, but knowing nothing about Dean.

_Castiel Novak is a liar._

The next time Dean asked was the end of January, right before his birthday. He wanted to meet Chuck Shurley, even though the man had misjudged him for so long because of John Winchester. Certainly everything Castiel had told his uncle about him had swayed the man by now, right?

But Castiel shook his head. "He works a lot of nights. He sleeps during the day and I mostly only see him in the late afternoon before he leaves for a night shift at the hospital." That was....actually true. But what wasn't true--Chuck Shurley was not scheduled to work the night of Dean's birthday. As a doctor, although he was on-call, he only typically worked three twelve hour shifts a week.

_Castiel Novak is selfish._

The longer the lie went, the more Castiel was unwilling to tell his uncle, knowing full-well his uncle would tell him to end his relationship with _Dean Winchester, who is no good_. Castiel didn't want that. He wanted to keep Dean, to keep the precious, growing love between them.

_Castiel Novak is afraid._

Because as scared as he was to tell his uncle about Dean, he was even more scared of telling Dean he loves him. He was equally as scared of losing Dean, though, with his sweet affection and thoughtful gestures and understanding acceptance of Castiel's tentativeness in regard to their relationship progressing past kissing and cuddling.

He was scared of losing the whole Harvelle family, to be honest. Ash and Jo,  who were two of his best friends and closest confidants. Sam, who was already like a little brother to him. Bobby, who seemed so gruff and coarse on the outside but was really such a gentle man--while he had no patience for outright stupidity, he had endless tolerance for otherwise silly and goofy tokens that came out of love. Ellen, who treated Castiel as if the boy were one of her own children as well. It was no wonder Dean and Sam were taken in so easily by the woman, for she treated most anyone with welcoming kindness, and kids with a special motherly affection--one that Castiel, as well as Dean and Sam, had mostly been deprived of since the deaths of their own mothers. It was hardly any surprise at all to Castiel that Sam referred to Bobby and Ellen as Dad and Mom with casual ease after Castiel found out that until the pair had taken him and Dean in, Dean was the only real father Sam had known. Dean still called them Bobby and Ellen, and Ellen would rush to hide the small flicker of sadness that would flash across her face while Dean would pretend not to notice. When Castiel asked about it, his response was, "Don't get me wrong, Cas, I love Bobby and Ellen and I appreciate them, but they're not...they're not my parents." Castiel had frowned at that. But he was afraid of losing that, too, Dean's shy honesty, so he didn't say anything more.

_Castiel Novak....Castiel Novak is...._

No, it was never Dean Winchester. It was Castiel Novak. It was always Castiel Novak.

It was Castiel who had misjudged Dean despite what his own eyes saw. It was Castiel who was untruthful to Dean from the start. It was Castiel who was too afraid to tell Dean how he really felt when Dean told him all the time in little ways, even if he never said those three words outright--"That sweater really makes your eyes look gorgeous" or "You should wear a vest more often, it's really hot!" or "I love the way your hair curls when you're sweaty from gym class" or even "Lying here with you is one of my favorite things in the world". That small, whispered confession...and Castiel couldn't even...

Dean deserved so much better than him.

"Cas?" Dean's voice cut into his thoughts as he squeezed Castiel's arm from where he lay, arms wrapped around Castiel's shoulders.

Castiel's head jerked up, meeting Dean's eyes briefly before glancing away, an action he hid by rubbing at one eye with the heel of his palm. "Sorry, I'm tired. What did you say?"

Dean smiled, one part amusement, one part tenderness, and maybe one tiny part of something more, something deeper. "I said the whole family is going to the lake this summer, even Charlie's joining us. Do you want to ask your uncle if you can come, too? Or...you know, you could invite him to come with us? Sounds like he never gets a vacation anyway."

No. No, he couldn't. He couldn't let it go that far. He had to...he had to tell Dean the truth. It wasn't fair to him.

Castiel looked up at Dean again, meeting his gaze. Dean was a little flushed, his eyes a bit glassy, his skin warm under Castiel's hands, against Castiel's chest. "Dean, I....I can't."

Dean frowned a little, his mouth opening slightly as disappointment flashed across his features. "O-oh, you...I'm sorry, Cas, I shouldn't have asked. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I'm not trying to rush you."

Castiel nodded, dropping his gaze to where his hand laid on Dean's arm. "I know," he barely whispered, "but it's not that, Dean."

Dean's arms slid up, hands gripping Castiel's shoulders firmly as he tried to duck his head to catch Castiel's eye. "Then what? You can tell me. It'll be okay."

"No, it's not. It's not okay, it's not. I'm sorry, Dean," Castiel whimpered, digging his fingers into Dean's thin t-shirt.

Dean's frown deepened as he ran his hands over Castiel's arms. "Calm down, Cas. Just tell me."

"I didn't--I haven't told my uncle. I haven't told him about us. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

Confusion passed over Dean's face, chased by heartbreaking hurt, and then anger as Dean pulled away, chilling Castiel to his core. "You haven't...Cas, I thought...I thought you told him months ago."

Castiel shook his head. "I couldn't, Dean. I was afraid he would tell me to break up with you. The longer I waited, the more afraid I was to tell him, so I never did. Dean, I'm so--"

"--sorry, yeah, I know," Dean mumbled, cutting Castiel off. He rubbed his hands roughly over his face, sighing. "I think--I think you should go, Cas."

Castiel choked back a sob, climbing to his feet. 

"Don't forget we're all hanging out after school tomorrow to play video games. I expect you to be here, got it?" Dean added, not looking up, his tone flat but straining for light.

The noise Castiel held back before erupted from his mouth in a whimper. How could Dean continue to offer kindness so easily, even after Castiel had hurt him yet again? "Dean--"

"I'll see you tomorrow at school, Cas."

He had to tell Dean, had to promise that he'd tell his uncle as soon as possible. He had to promise he'd fix this. 

_Castiel Novak is no good._

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Castiel planned to tell Dean everything at school the next day. Really, that was the plan. Except that...Dean didn't show up for school that morning. A peek in the lunchroom later proved Dean still wasn't there, and when he was absent sixth period for Chemistry, that's when Castiel knew just how badly he'd screwed up and hurt Dean. There was no way Dean was going to forgive him now, and there was no way he deserved it. Due punishment for his crime, he supposed. He sorely considered skipping video games with Dean that evening, except that everyone was expecting him. At the very least, Dean hadn't texted him to tell him to not come.

When he arrived at the Harvelle house later that evening clutching Dean's homework to his chest, he met Bobby and Ellen on their way out, and they greeted him cheerfully. Neither one appeared to know how badly Castiel had messed things up with Dean, and he didn't know whether to be thankful and stay quiet or to be apologetic and tell them everything.

But Ellen had just smiled happily with a, "Bobby and I are going out to a movie; there's pizza inside if you'd like some. Ash, Jo, and Sam went over to Charlie's to play video games tonight; Dean's just resting, but I'm sure he'll be happy to see you, even if he's not happy to see homework."

Resting? But they were supposed to play here. What was going on? Was Dean...was Dean planning something?

Castiel nodded and stepped into the house, looking around before heading for Dean's room. He knocked on the door tentatively.

"'m fine, Ellen, just go see your chick flick movie already!" Dean called.

"I-It's not Ellen."

There was the sound of rustling fabric, then feet on the floor before the door swung open and Castiel gaped at the sight that met him. Dean's face was flushed, sweat trickling down his face and pooling in the hollow of his throat, his nose rubbed raw, and his eyes glazed over. "Shit," Dean mumbled, turning his head away to cough in the crook of his elbow. "Forgot to text you to not come."

"You're sick," Castiel observed, brows knitting in concern as he stepped closer. "Go lie down, Dean."  He peered around the room, taking in the pile of used tissues in the garbage can by the bed, the tissue box on the nightstand, a half-drunk bottle of water beside it. When Dean didn't move, he pushed the taller boy. "Go lie down. I brought your homework, but it can wait." Dean frowned, but he finally complied (at least partly), sinking back down onto the mattress and leaning back against a pile of pillows. Castiel brushed a hand against Dean's forehead. "You have a fever."

"I know," Dean said, voice rattling in his chest. When he turned to cough again, it was thick and wet, and it took far took long for Castiel's comfort for it to stop. 

"We should call Ellen and Bobby."

"No," Dean replied, scowling at Castiel.

Castiel sighed. "Look, Dean, I know I messed up. I'm sorry. I promise I'm going to tell my uncle, I was going to tell you that today in school. But just because you're mad at me doesn't mean you need to be stubborn and not listen to me."

Dean's eyes narrowed. "I'm not--okay, yes, I am mad at you. I'm really mad at you for that. But I'm not...not listening to you because of that. I'm not wrecking their date night, got it? I can handle being home sick for the evening, I'm a big boy." He twisted away, coughing again, long and hard, and Castiel stood abruptly.

"I'll be right back." When Castiel returned, it was from rummaging around in the bathroom, and he clutched a thermometer in one hand, and a dish filled with cool water and a wash cloth in the other. "Open your mouth."

"Cas--" the moment Dean opened his mouth to protest, Castiel immediately popped the thermometer into his mouth, and Dean glared weakly until the thermometer beeped at him, coughs rattling in his chest as he struggled to keep his lips closed around it. Before Dean could grab it, Castiel snatched it away, scowling at it like it insulted him.

"103.1 degrees. Dean, I'm going to call Ellen and Bobby now," Castiel said, reaching for his cell phone.

"No, Cas!" Dean swatted Castiel's hand away from his pocket. "Please, I can handle one evening."

"Then let me call Ash and Jo."

"Cas!"

"Fine. Then I'm staying until someone else gets home," Castiel replied, grabbing for the wet washcloth and wringing it out some before mopping up the sweat on Dean's face. Dean opened his mouth to protest again but fell silent at the look Castiel gave him. "I made a huge mistake. Let me at least try to make it up to you somehow."

Dean tipped forward, Castiel beside him and rubbing his back through another coughing fit until Dean lodged another weak complaint. "Cas, you're gonna get sick, man. You should go."

"No."

"Seriously, there's--" Dean cut off with another hacking cough, spitting into a tissue, "--there's Tylenol for cold and flu in the kitchen cabinet. Just gimme some of that, and I'll be good."

Castiel sighed but left him to go rifling through the medicine cabinet, boggled a bit by the collection of vitamins, minerals, and other pills he found residing in the cabinet, from heartburn and gas treatment to pain killers and allergy medications. Eventually he found it, following the sounds of Dean's coughing back down the hall. Castiel froze momentarily in the doorway, spotting Dean canted forward and gasping for air as he coughed and wheezed, his lips turning a terrifying shade of blue.

"F-fuck," Dean choked out, clutching at the front of his shirt, "I c-can't breathe!"

"Dean!" Castiel rushed forward, tossing the pills on the side table and sitting by Dean to hold him up, rubbing his spine soothingly. "Dean, I'm taking you to the hospital. I'll call your family on the way."

"Ca--" Dean barely wheezed out, eyes wide and watering, but Castiel was already on the move, grabbing Dean's shoes and shoving them on his feet before snagging Dean's jacket from the hall closet. Grabbing Dean's keys and wallet from his backpack, he returned to find Dean swaying dangerously in the doorway to his bedroom, hand clamped over his mouth as he continued to cough. When the fit ended, Castiel guided Dean into his jacket and led him to the car, surprised to find him so compliant. "Dean?"

"Yeah, Cas?" Dean gasped out, breathing hard.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm drowning."

Castiel frowned, pressing down the accelerator on his Lincoln as far as he dared as he tried to call Bobby, and then Ellen's cell phones. Not surprisingly, they both went to voicemail, so Castiel left them the same message. He had better luck calling Charlie's house, but when she greeted cheerfully him with the sounds of Dean choking and gagging on phlegm in the background, she sobered quickly.

"Cas? Is that...is that Dean?"

"Yes, it is. I've left a message with Bobby and Ellen. If you could let Ash, Jo, and Sam know that I'm taking Dean to the hospital, I'd appreciate it."

"Forget that!" Charlie barked back. "We'll meet you there!"

"'s just a--just a cough, Red," Dean wheezed out, wiping his face as tears pricked at his eyes.

"That is not just a cough! We'll meet you there and we'll keep trying to get through to Bobby and Ellen," Charlie replied.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Castiel hurried to park at the ER side of the hospital, rushing to try to get Dean inside before the next coughing fit hit, but he was too late--Dean sagged against him heavily, shaking violently with each wet sound before Dean's legs gave out and he collapsed in front of the check-in desk, panting in crackling, slimy breaths. Nurses darted around the desk, calling out phrases like "acute respiratory distress", "cyanosis", "tachycardia", and "crepitations on asculation" as they rushed to get Dean on a stretcher and into the back for immediate triage.

"He has a fever and chills, too," Castiel contributed. "It was 103.1 not too long ago."

"Did he take any medications?" one nurse asked. It was Pam; he recognized her from past hospital picnics.

"I don't know. I don't think so. I was going to give him Tylenol Cold and Flu but his lips turned blue so I panicked and brought him here instead."

Pam nodded. "That's a good thing, Castiel. You did the right thing bringing him here, and skipping the Tylenol was for the best. If it's what we think it is, cough suppressants make it worse. What about his parents?"

"They're--his guardians are on a date, I left them both messages, but I called his brother and friends. They're on their way."

One of the other nurses, Missouri, joined them. "We're setting him up for a steam treatment now and he'll need oxygen, but he doesn't want to be alone and we're pretty busy," she said, glancing around the packed ER. "Would you mind sitting with him?"

Castiel blinked in surprise. As if they had to ask. As if _Dean_ had to ask! "No, of course not."

Missouri gave him directions to find Dean, and he sprinted off, down the hall and plowing right into one of the doctors running the floor.

Who happened to be his uncle.

Castiel stepped back a few paces, staring up and stammering out, "U-Uncle Chuck!"

"Whoa, Castiel, where's the fire?" his uncle asked, reaching out to steady his nephew.

Castiel glanced past him. Dean's doorway was right there, calling distance, but right _here_ was an opportunity to tell the truth. So he squared his shoulders, set his jaw, and blurted out, "I brought Dean Winchester into the ER tonight."

Dr. Shurley didn't seem even remotely surprised. "Ah. What did he have in his system?"

Castiel's brain stuttered. "Ex-excuse me?"

"What did he have in his system?" his uncle repeated. "Drugs, alcohol?"

Castiel gaped. Is that what his uncle thought of Dean? That he was an addict and a delinquent on top of everything else?

"Dean would _never_ drink or do drugs. He would get kicked off the baseball team!" Castiel took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, but it failed. "And besides, what about patient confidentiality?"

Dr. Shurley sneered, upper lip curling in faint disgust. "Right. I told you to stay away from him. He's--"

"I know exactly what you told me, Uncle Chuck. That he's no good. That he's a horrible, terrible person. Well he's not!" Castiel tried breathing again, but it just led to another stream of ranting. "He's gentle and kind and smart and sweet! He never has a cruel word for anyone, he helps anyone he can, and he is the complete _opposite_ of a bully! I've seen him go out of his way to stop bullying from happening! But you--you've never even met Dean, have you? You knew his father, that's all, and you assume he's just like him. Well he's not! He's nothing like John Winchester.

"I've been lucky enough to call him my boyfriend for the past few months--but I never told you because I knew you'd act like this. He doesn't even know you, doesn't even know how much you hate him for all the wrong reasons, and yet he asked me to invite you to come join his family for their summer vacation so he could get to know the only family I have. And that's all you can think of him!" Castiel was red-faced, angry and panting, his uncle staring back with wide eyes at his furious nephew. "Not that it's any of your business, but Dean is sick! When I brought him in, he could barely breathe! Now if you'll excuse me, Dean doesn't want to be alone until his family shows up, so I'm going to go wait in my boyfriend's room." And with that, Castiel stormed past his uncle, leaving him in the middle of the floor with nurses staring at him openly.

When Castiel strode into the room, he took in the sight before him--Dean on an IV drip, oxygen cannula under his nose, and a mask positioned over his face forcing warm steam into his lungs. Dean's eyes were on him from where he was tucked into the bed, glassy-eyed and breathing harsh, one nurse worriedly at his side. Tessa, if he remembered correctly. "Can you get in touch with his parents?" she asked Castiel, looking up at him when he came in.

"His...parents?" Castiel parroted back, confused. "Why?"

Dean drew a raspy breath, tears pooling in the corners of his eyes. "I want my mom, Cas...I want my mom..."

Castiel's gaze anxiously shot back to Tessa. "Oh god," he managed hoarsely.

"What's wrong?" Tessa asked, brows knit together as she stepped closer to Castiel. 

"That's not...that's not good. Tessa, Dean's parents are dead. His mom died when he was little, his dad a few years ago. His guardians have been notified."

Tessa's own expression immediately mirrored his fearful one. "Oh...no, that's not good. I'll let his attending doctor know," she said, rushing out of the room. 

Castiel settled into the chair by Dean's bed. "Dean?" He reached for the other boy's hand.

Dean clutched back weakly, tears still slipping down his cheeks with each rattling gasp. "I want my mom, please Cas, I want my mom, I want my mom..."

Castiel bit his lower lip hard, fighting back tears of his own that threatened to fall. "Bobby and Ellen are on their way soon." He felt bad lying; he had no way of knowing. But he had to calm Dean down if possible.

A few minutes later, Ash, Jo, and Sam all stormed in while Castiel was still running his fingers through Dean's hair, trying to soothe him as Dean cried for his mother. When Charlie joined them a few minutes later, Castiel glanced up at her, somehow calm as he said, "Charlie, I think you should take Sam for a walk to the soda machine."

Charlie nodded firmly. "I think...I think we could all use a soda, yeah?" she said, glancing at Ash and Jo's frightened faces as well. Jo started to protest, but Charlie shook her head. "I think Cas has it covered. We should try your mom and dad again."

The red-head pushed everyone else out of the room down the hall, and Jo swiped at her face, trying to hide the evidence of her battle with herself to not cry. "I had no idea he was that sick. He just...he said he'd be fine!" the blond hiccuped, and Charlie squeezed her shoulder.

"Dean's not good at telling folks when something is wrong, or if he needs help. Remember when Cas was being a jerk to him? We didn't know for months," Charlie said, and Jo nodded.

Sam frowned. "I hate it. It's our dad's fault. He never looked out for Dean properly, so Dean thinks he's supposed to take care of himself and everyone else, that he can't possibly burden someone else with his problems, 'cause if he does, there's no one left to take care of everyone else."

Ash made a displeased noise as they came to a stop in front of the soda and snack machines. "But he's family. Family is always there for each other. We do this thing together."

Sam shook his head, glancing up at Ash. "I know that, and you know that. But Dean...Dean's not ready to call this his family yet. He still misses our mom; he still regrets not fixing Dad."

"That was never his job!" Jo snarled, her eyes blazing angrily. "John was an adult. Dean's just a kid! It's not his job to fix someone else, let alone someone who is certainly old enough to fix themselves!"

Sam's face crumpled sadly as he nodded. "I know, sis. But that's just how Dean works."

Charlie was in the middle of buying a soda when Jo's phone rang, and Jo jumped, startled. With a glance at the screen, she hurriedly swiped and put the phone up to her ear. "Mom?"

"Oh, Jo!" Ellen's worried voice filtered through. "What's going on with Dean, sweetheart?"

Jo choked, sniffling. "He's really sick, Mom. When Cas called us, we could--we could hear him, it sounded like he could barely breathe!"

Sam shifted closer, leaning against Jo and pulling her in for a hug, and she clung back.

"Okay, try to calm down. Where are you?" Bobby's voice came through, sounding tinny. The phone must have been put on speaker.

"The hospital. Charlie, Sam, and Ash are here, too. We--oh, Mom, it's bad. Cas is with him right now. But I don't think he knows what's going on," Jo replied, soft and shaky.

"Okay, sweetheart, just hold on. We'll be there in about ten minutes. Can you let them know?" Ellen said.

Jo confirmed before hanging up, and they made their way back down the hall, Sam offering Castiel a Coke.

Castiel shook his head, helping Dean sit up through another particularly bad bout of coughing, red flecking his lips as Castiel lifted the mask away long enough for Dean choke out bloody sputum with another hoarsely whimpered, "I want my mom, Cas..." Castiel wasn't sure if the blood was better or worse than blue lips, but he grimaced after a moment of thought. Better. Blood was better, as terrible as it sounded, because not enough oxygen was worse than minor bleeding.

"Mom and Dad are about ten minutes away. They'll be here soon, Dean, okay?" Jo said, circling to the side opposite Castiel and taking his other hand as he coughed into the mask covering his face, his eyes still slowly leaking tears as he nodded. Castiel shot her a look, opening his mouth to correct her but ultimately decided to keep his mouth shut. Dean had calmed noticeably, despite the still-dripping trail of tears, and his breathing had calmed along with him, his coughing fit no longer so intense. Dean closed his eyes, resting between coughs.

When Ellen and Bobby hurried into the room almost 15 minutes later, Ellen looked pale and scared and Bobby's whole frame was tense with anxiety. "Dean?" Ellen called softly, afraid to wake him if he was sleeping. 

But Dean blinked open bleary, glazed-over eyes, staring in Ellen's direction before croaking out a sobbed, "Mom?"

Jo released Dean's hand, stepping back to make room for her parents, and Ellen took Dean's hand. "Dean, honey, it's Ellen."

Dean nodded, coughing and sniffling as he began to cry again. "I know, Mom, I'm sorry," he rasped out, his voice crackling with the mucous still clinging to his lungs.

Ellen glanced at Bobby, both of them sharing a worried look. It was worse than they thought.

"I didn't--" Dean choked, coughing again, and Castiel pushed him forward to sit up more. "I didn't want--you never take off from The Roadhouse. I didn't want to mess up your date night with Dad. I thought....I thought I would be okay. I knew I was a lot sicker than I was telling you, but I didn't want to mess it up." He pulled his hand free, smearing at the tears tracking down his face. "I'm sorry."

Ellen sat up, stunned, slowly turning back to Dean. "Dean, did you...?"

"Did you just call us Mom and Dad?" Bobby filled in.

Dean nodded. "I'm sorry. I've been really stupid. I've been trying so hard to be everything my dad wasn't but fooled myself into believing that if I called anyone else 'Dad', I'd be letting him down. If I called anyone else 'Mom', I'd be forgetting her. That's not true, though, is it?"

Ellen's face softened as she took his hand back, squeezing. "No, honey, it's not true at all. You'll never forget Mary, and it was never your job to look out for John. Just because they were your biological family doesn't mean they're the only family you can have."

"Family don't end in blood, boy," Bobby added gruffly, "and it don't start there, neither."

Dean nodded, glancing around the crowded hospital room. "Guess so. I'm fortunate, then."

"Why's that, honey?" Ellen asked with a small smile. 

"This wasn't the family I was born into, but it's the family that picked me. How lucky is that?" A grin teased the corners of Dean's mouth.

"Hey!" Sam protested, "I didn't get a vote on getting stuck with you, jerk!" He smirked, teasing.

Dean snorted, but regretted it a moment later as he coughed out a wet and wheezing, "Bitch!" in response. Ellen didn't even scold him for it.

Dean turned to Castiel, smiling at him faintly. "I'm luckiest of all to have you, babe."

Castiel looked down at where Dean's other hand was clutched in his. "I'm the blessed one, Dean. And I told my uncle."

Dean nodded. "I know. I heard you. I think the whole hospital heard you. For what it's worth, I forgive you. I need you, Cas." 

Castiel's glance around the room was met with confused looks--apparently Dean really did keep his problems to himself. But Castiel just nodded. "I need you, too, Dean."

Dean made a small annoyed huff. "No, Cas, what I mean is...." He squeezed Castiel's hand tightly. "I love you."

Castiel's head jerked up, his mouth falling open as he stared at Dean. "Y-you..."

Dean was fully smiling at Castiel when he looked up, wide and joyful and honest. "I love you," Dean repeated more easily, as if it were obvious.

Castiel nodded again, wiping at his face when he realized his cheeks were wet. "I love you, too, Dean." He laughed, relieved and happy.

Dean loved him, and he loved Dean.

 

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Several months later, Dean was sitting on the end of a wooden pier, fishing rod in hand. Castiel, who was decidedly not a morning person, had grumpily kicked Dean out of bed with a demand for more sleep and coffee later, and Dean had kissed him with a laugh and left him. So instead of Castiel by his side that morning, his company was one Dr. Chuck Shurley, also clutching a rod but looking as though he'd never used on in his life. 

"So..." Chuck hedged. The last couple of months, he'd had no choice but to get used to the idea of Dean Winchester dating his nephew--everything Castiel had to say about Dean was positive and kind. So here he was, sitting with Dean Winchester during his summer vacation...with his family.

"So?" Dean asked, glancing around and then at Chuck.

"Tell me about yourself, Dean."


End file.
